Make Way for YouTube Partner Channels in Online Video Rankings

If you know some of the advertisers or media buyers who've been waiting for Google to let you place Nielsen measurement tags on YouTube ads before buying more advertising on the online video site, then you should let them know that they've missed the duck boat in the victory parade.

The latest data from comScore Video Metrix showed that 189 million Americans, 87.1 percent of the U.S. Internet audience, watched 49.1 billion online content videos in October 2013, while the number of video ad views totaled 24.5 billion that month. By comparison, 183 million Americans, 86 percent of the U.S. Internet audience, watched more than 37 billion online content videos in October 2012, while video ad views reached nearly 11 billion than month.

So, 3.3 percent more Americans watched 32.7 percent more online content videos and 122.7 percent more video ads last month than they did the same month a year ago. Or, to look at the same data from a different perspective, video ads accounted for 33.3 percent of all videos viewed in October 2013, compared to 22.6 percent in October 2012.

Top Video Content Properties by Unique Viewers

In October 2013, Google sites, driven primarily by video viewing at YouTube.com, ranked as the top online video content property with 164.8 million unique viewers. Facebook ranked second with 70.1 million viewers, followed by AOL with 62.3 million, NDN with 50.6 million, and VEVO with 49.6 million. VEVO is also one of the YouTube Partner Channels along with Maker Studios, which debuted 10th in the rankings with 30.5 million unique viewers. During the month, 49.1 billion video content views occurred, with Google sites generating the highest number at 16.6 billion, followed by Facebook with 1.4 billion and AOL with 1.3 billion.

In October 2012, Google sites ranked as the top online video content property with 153.2 million unique viewers, followed by Yahoo sites with 55.3 million, NDN with 53.2 million, VEVO with 53.1 million and AOL with 53.1 million. More than 37 billion video content views occurred during the month, with Google sites generating the highest number at 13 billion, followed by AOL with 711 million.

So, the online video rankings, which are led by YouTube and followed by a couple of YouTube Partner Channels, are beginning to look like Make Way for Ducklings, the children's picture book written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey.

Top YouTube Partner Channels by Unique Viewers

The October 2013 YouTube partner data revealed that video music channel VEVO maintained the top position in the ranking with 47.8 million viewers. Fullscreen climbed into the second spot with 31.5 million unique viewers, followed by Maker Studios with 30.5 million, Warner Music with 26.1 million and ZEFR with 23.7 million. Among the top 10 YouTube partners, Maker Studios demonstrated the highest engagement (63 minutes per viewer), followed by VEVO (41 minutes per viewer). VEVO streamed the greatest number of videos (621 million), followed by Maker Studios (517 million) and Fullscreen (335 million).

The October 2012 YouTube partner data revealed that video music channel VEVO held the top position in the ranking with 52.2 million viewers. Machinima was in the second position with 35.1 million viewers, followed by Maker Studios with 28.9 million, Warner Music with 26.3 million and Fullscreen with 25.1 million. Among the top 10 YouTube partners, Machinima demonstrated the highest engagement (49 minutes per viewer) followed by VEVO (39 minutes per viewer). VEVO streamed the greatest number of videos (603 million), followed by Machinima (521 million).

So, there are a number of YouTube Partners Channels that would stop traffic in Boston if they crossed the highway, proceeded down Mount Vernon Street, turned onto Charles Street, crossed Beacon Street, and marched right into the Public Garden.

Top Video Ad Properties by Video Ads Viewed

In October 2013, Americans viewed more than 24.5 billion video ads, with AOL maintaining the top position with 4 billion ad impressions. Google sites came in second with 3.6 billion ads, followed by BrightRoll Platform with 2.6 billion, LiveRail.com with 2.5 billion and TubeMogul Video Ad Platform with 2 billion. Time spent watching video ads totaled 9.2 billion minutes, with AOL delivering the highest duration of video ads at 1.8 billion minutes. Video ads reached 56 percent of the total U.S. population an average of 141 times during the month. Hulu delivered the highest frequency of video ads to its viewers with an average of 81.

In October 2012, Americans viewed nearly 11 billion video ads, with BrightRoll Video Network capturing first place with more than 1.8 billion ads, followed by Google sites with more than 1.7 billion, Hulu with 1.5 billion, Liverail.com with 1.2 billion and Adap.tv with 1.1 billion. Time spent watching video ads totaled 3.8 billion minutes, with BrightRoll Video Network delivering the highest duration of video ads at 897 million minutes. Video ads reached 52 percent of the total U.S. population an average of 68 times during the month. Hulu delivered the highest frequency of video ads to its viewers with an average of 59, while Google Sites delivered an average of 19 ads per viewer.

It's worth noting that Hulu hasn't appeared in any of comScore's list of top 10 video content properties by unique viewers since May 2012. So, long after Hulu disappeared off the radar screen, some advertisers and media buyers appear to be stuffing way too many video ads there. That might not be "wicked smart," as we'd say in Boston.

One wonders if some of these advertisers or media buyers are the same ones who've been waiting for Google to let them place Nielsen measurement tags on YouTube ads before buying more advertising on the top online video content property. To be charitable, perhaps they've never seen a duck boat victory parade, so they don't know what they're missing. If that's the case, then they might want to check out this recent YouTube video by The Boston Globe.

About the author

Greg Jarboe is president of SEO-PR, which provides search engine optimization, public relations, video marketing, and social media marketing services. He's the author of "YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day," a faculty member at Rutgers University and Market Motive, as well as a frequent speaker at SES conferences.

If you use rich snippets to markup your videos, you may want to double check that Google is still showing them. Reports indicate a huge reduction – with estimates as high as 44 percent – in the number of video snippets from Google's search results.
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